Quiz: The Renaissance

1. Question

Homophony can be defined as…

same sounds in unison.
repetitive sounds.
alternating sounds.
many sounds together.

2. Question

Polyphony can be defined as…

same sounds in unison.
repetitive sounds.
alternating sounds.
many sounds together.

3. Question

Is this selection an example of homophony or polyphony?

homophony
polyphony

4. Question

One of the most famous trouveres was named…

Adam de la Hale
Richard Wagner
Robin et Marion
Walther von der Vogelweide

5. Question

What is given as a characteristic of the best madrigals?

The length of the musical phrase was regulated by the length and accents of the poetic lines.
The length of the song matched the attention span of the audience.
Single syllables were held by the singer until the words became unclear.

6. Question

A famous composer of madrigals, notably the Penitential Psalms, was named…

Orlassus Landus
Orpheus Lando
Orsus Landus
Orlandus Lassus

7. Question

Giovanni da Palestrina is described as the greatest composer of ______ in the Renaissance.

madrigals
church music
folk songs

8. Question

How did Palestrina rescue contrapuntal music, i.e. music with counterpoint, from being banned by the church?

He composed simple melodies that incorporated lots of beautiful pitches.
He provided expert testimony at the Council of Trent.
He composed so the words sung by different voices were clearly heard, and used melodies in a prayerful and respectful way.
He eliminated lyrics as a distraction and focused on instrumental music.

9. Question

The opening of the ‘Kyrie’ and ‘Gloria’ from Missa Papae Marcelli (selections below) demonstrate Palestrina’s mastery in which of the following ways?

He could compose for both younger and older singers.
He could compose in both Latin and French.
He could compose so that voices moved independently or in harmony and rhythm.
He could always compose in homophony.

10. Question

What do we call the performance of stage plays in which the characters sing their words to an accompaniment played by instruments instead of speaking them?

Madrigals
Polyphony
Drama
Opera

11. Question

What is the operatic term for reproducing a reciting voice that has no definite rhythm or tune apart from the words?

Recitative
Solo
Harpsichord
Toccata

12. Question

Is Orpheus (holding his lyre) in this selection singing an aria, toccata, or recitative?

aria
toccata
recitative

13. Question

Which two conditions led to a renaissance in English music in the 16th & 17th centuries?

Reformation in the church of England, and an explosion of secular poetry.
Success in imperial wars, and massive funding of the arts.
Musical support by Catholic and Reformation leaders.
Absence of cultural conflict, and the flourishing of love poetry.

14. Question

Thomas Tallis was a composer of English choral music and lived during the conflict between…

King Henry VIII and the Pope during the Reformation
Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil War
King George V and the American War for Independence
King Richard the Lionhearted and Prince John

15. Question

Which of the following reasons is given for Tallis innovating the ‘Cathedral Service’ in which the voices all move together in plain chords instead of in separate lines of melody?

To create a more complex melody
To draw the listeners' attention to rhythmic changes
Because it was a popular compositional technique
So that the listener could hear the words more clearly

The Story of Great Music

Introduction